The current 11-speed parts shift better than the 8-speed stuff did back in its day. Fair enough, I suppose you could have more robust shifting with modern precision in an 8-speed component set, but given that the 11-speed stuff we have is plenty robust already, it's hard for me to see a practical benefit.

Overall, there's a strong trend away from super race-focused road bike that's been going on for a few years now, and gravel bikes are part of that trend. We're also seeing improvements in the race bikes, as professional and amateur racers are starting to realize the benefits of wider tires even on pavement. So we're getting bikes that are more rideable on more roads. That's pretty cool.